Frederick s



(No Model.)

F. S. DAVENPORT. Wheel Plow. No. 234,176. Patented Nov. 9,1880.

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK S. DAVENPORT,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF J ERSEYVILLE, ILLINOIS.

WHEEL-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,176, dated November 9, 1880. Application filed July 9, 1880. (No model.)

- the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in wheel-plows.

Heretofore different forms of mechanism have been employed for utilizing the draft of the team in'raisin g the plows of wheel-plows from the ground.

My invention relates to that class of wheelplows which have axles adapted to turn and thereby raise the plows and it consists of the parts and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

. In the drawings the device is shown in its elementary form in connection with such parts only of a plow-frame as are necessary to illustrate my invention.

Figurelrepresents a side elevation of the device, taken in the line a: w of Fig. 2. Fig.2 is a plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is a frontend elevation taken in the line y y of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 the position ofthe draft-bar and its connecting-rod when the plow is lifted clear of the ground is shown in dotted lines and the direction of movement of the several parts in the operation of lifting the plow is indicated by arrows.

The axle A has a platform, B, journaled thereon, the under side of the platform being provided with depending bearings a, through which the axle loosely passes. This axle may be of any suitable character, and hence I do not show in the drawings any special form thereof.

A plow-beam, G, is mounted upon the platform and adapted to be laterally adjusted thereon.

The axle is provided with an arm, D, rig- 5o idly secured thereto and adapted to turn with it. Preferably this arm is in the-form of a quadrant; but it may be a sector or an arm of any suitable form. Its are or free end is formed with notches d at its forward portion, while the rear portion thereof is formed with notch c.

A foot-lever, E, is fulcrumed on the forward portion of the platform, and the short arm is provided with a tooth, f, adapted to fit in the notches of the axle-arm. An upright spring, F, is secured at its lower extremity to the platform, and its upper extremity has free lateral bearing against the long arm of the lever. This spring tends to maintain the tooth on the short arm of the lever in engagement with the notches of the axle-arm.

The left portion of the under side of the plowbeam is provided with a longitudinal groove, 9, in which a draft-bar, G, has sliding movement. Metallic straps h pass about the two exposed sides of the draft-bar and maintain it in position. The draftof the team is connected to the forward-projecting end of this sliding bar.

A connecting-rod, H, has its extremities respectively pivoted to the draft-bar and the axle-arm.

When the locking device E is in engagement with the axle-arm the draft of the team falls finally upon the axle-bearin gs of the platform. This occurs by reason of the draft which is directly applied to the axle-arm being transmitted to the platform by locking device E. The latter, being connected to the platform at a point forward of the axle-arm, transmits the draft to the platform, and the journal-bearin gs of the platform, in turn, transmit the draft to the axle. The axle therefore has the draft applied to it in a line passing through it, and practically there is no draft tending to revolve the axle but when the lockin g device is disengaged from the axle-arm, the latter, being eccentric to the axle, causes the draft to be directly applied in turning the axle.

It is thus apparent that connecting the locking device of the axle-arm to the platform constitutes a prominent feature in the construction of my wheel-plow.

Hand-lever J is rigidly connected to the axle and extends rearwardly therefrom. It

operates to lower the plow or to assist in raising the same. When the plow is working the parts are in the position indicated by full lines in the first figure of the drawings. The draft tends to turn the axle-arm forward, but is prevented from so doing by reason of the fo0t-lever effectually locking the axle arm against such movement. The draft is transmitted by this locking device to the forward portion of the platform, and the latter, by means ofitsjournal-bearings, applies the draft to the axle in a line which passes through the latter. The draft therefore operates to propel the wheel-plow, and there is practically no tendency to turn the axle, as the draft is in transverse line therewith.

When it is desired to raise the plow from the ground the foot-lever is moved so as to disengage the axle arm. The draft of the team then turns the axle'arin down into the position indicated by dotted lines in the first figure of the drawings. and the tooth of the foot-lever engages with notch e. The axle-arm turns with it the axle and the latter raises the platform, said platform lifting the plow-beam. The plow is thereby lifted clear of the ground by the draft of the team. In this operation the draft-bar is moved forwardly and the conmeeting-rod is brought down in line with said bar, all as is indicated by the dotted lines in the first figure of the drawings. Preferably I pivot the connecting-rod to the axie-arm at such a point from the center of the axle that the leverage will not be quite sufiicient to lift the plow by the power of the team only, and hence the little assistance required may be given by means of the hand-lever.

When the plow is to be lowered to the ground the hand-lever is employed for the purpose, and the depth of the furrow to be plowed is determined by the notch with which the tooth of the foot-lever engages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. In a wheel-plow having an axle adapted to turn and thereby raise the plow from the ground, the combination, with the axle provided with a rigid arm, a platform jonrnaled on the axle, and a plow-beam mounted on the platform, of draft mechanism directly connected to the axle-arm and a locking device which detachably secures together the platform and the axle-arm, said locking device being connected to the platform at a point for' ward of the axle-arm and adapted to transmit the draft to the axle in a line passing through the latter, substantially as set forth.

2. In a wheel-plow having an axle adapted to turn and thereby raise the plow from the ground, the combination, with said axle pro vided with a rigid arm, a platform jonrnaled on the axle, and a plow-beam mounted on the platform, of a pawl pivoted on the latter for engaging or disengaging with the axle-arm. a longitndinally-slidingdraft-rod, and aconnecting device between the latter and the axlearm, substantially as set forth.

3. In a wheel-plow having an axle adapted to turn and thereby raise the plow from the ground, the combination, with said axle provided with a rigid arm, a platform jonrnaled on the axle, and a plow-beam mounted upon the platform, of a spring-pressed foot-pawl pivoted on the platform and engaging with notches formed on the arm, a longitudinallysliding drattbar, and a link connecting the latter with the axle-arm, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of June, 1880.

' FREDERICK S. DAVENPORT.

Witnesses:

H. D. STELLE. It. NEWTON. 

